Education Matters

You may have heard of it, but just what is the IB Diploma? The globally recognised IB Diploma is an academic pathway for Year 11 and 12 students, and is offered as an alternative to the HSC at Trinity Grammar School. It was established in 1968 by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) and was introduced to provide students with a balanced education, facilitate geographic and cultural mobility and to promote international understanding.

The benefits of music education have been documented since long ago, by great philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. More recently, neuroscientific research has supported these historical claims with evidence-based studies. Essentially, it is thought that the study of music can have a profound impact on fine motor development, and aid literacy and numeracy proficiency.

By Chris Wyatt, Master of the Preparatory School

I have had the privilege to be part of fifteen PYP Exhibitions across my career and had the opportunity to visit countless others. Whilst I am clearly biased, I feel very confident in claiming that this year’s recent PYP Exhibition left the others in its wake. The depth of the students’ conceptual understanding, the sophistication of their presentations, the quality of their writing and compositions, and their conviction to bring about informed change was simply remarkable. The last eight weeks have been an intense but rewarding learning journey for our students. They have been pushed beyond their comfort zones and they have risen to the challenge.

What is an ATAR? The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) is a number between zero and 99.95 that determines a student’s rank based on their HSC or IB mark – it is not a score out of 100. It is used by tertiary institutions around Australia to directly compare the results of Australian school leavers, and to predict a student’s first-year performance at university.

HSC exams can be a stressful time for students. Boys are experiencing an increased workload, extra pressure to succeed and the anticipation of receiving results, not to mention the implications. The homework and study demands can be overwhelming for some students.

In order for boys to thrive in their academic journey, education cannot be limited to what takes place at school. Homework and study are required to supplement classroom learning, so it’s important that boys learn how to study effectively, bearing in mind that consistency is more powerful than intensity.

Who best to share their study time management tips than those Trinity Grammar School scholars of 2018 who excelled in their final Year 12 examinations? While each person is unique and must find the study techniques and regime that work best for them, it can be useful to read about others’ strategies for managing time. We hope your son can pick up some tips and tricks to maximise his study and minimise his stress.

The daily routine of regular school hours, wearing uniforms and following rules are a distant memory for our HSC and IB scholars. Instead they are faced with being independent, making their own decisions, and not having a teacher remind them of when assignments are due. For some the change is a breath of fresh air, while for others it can take a bit of getting used to.

By Elliot Earnshaw, Year 12

In Trinity News: The School was fortunate to host Dr Phillip Lowe, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), for an economics Q&A session. The Governor was fresh from the Senate inquiry. Governor Lowe is arguably the most influential economist in Australia, and our Head of Economics, Mr Moore put it, he not only understands the history of economics but is himself making history. In such a significant time for the RBA and monetary policy in Australia, Governor Lowe generously gave his time to a small but highly engaged group of senior Economics students.

By Matthew De Belle, Year 9

The Trinity Field Studies experience is quite unique. It is an opportunity we would not get to be part of anywhere else. It is a valuable experience for everyone who takes part in the Field Studies programme. There is a lot to learn and new things to try for all. There is much to say about my time spent at Field Studies, I had my fair share of challenges and highlights like everybody. There was also much fun to be had during our four-week stay.